Good morning.
We'll begin today’s live blog with reports of waves of blasts being heard over Dubai and Doha for a second day as Iran vows to retaliate for what US President Donald Trump has called "major combat operations" in concert with Israel against Tehran over its nuclear program. The massive strikes on Iran have killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other senior Iranian officials.
UAE Shot Down 137 Missiles And 209 Drones In Iran Attack
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Ministry has said in a statement that its air and air-defense forces intercepted and destroyed 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones fired at UAE territory since the start of today's Iranian attack.
The ministry said that since the beginning of the attack, it detected 137 Iranian ballistic missiles fired at the UAE, of which 132 were destroyed and five crashed in coastal waters.
It also detected 209 Iranian drones, of which 195 were intercepted and 14 crashed in the country's territory and waters, causing some collateral damage.
The ministry stated that the UAE categorically rejects Iran's actions, which it said are a dangerous escalation of tensions and undermines stability.
Israel Shuts Schools, Bans Gatherings As Iran Launches Retaliatory Missiles
Israel banned public gatherings, shut schools and workplaces and moved hospital patients to underground facilities on February 28 as Tehran launched missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, news agencies report.
Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency across the country, warning the public of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The military ordered the public to follow emergency guidance as it announced tens of thousands of reservists were being called up for service, including to reinforce its land borders. The police urged against non-essential travel so as to allow security and emergency vehicles to move freely.
The US Embassy in Jerusalem advised government personnel to shelter in place, Reuters reports. People were seen rushing to buy food and withdraw money as explosions from missile interceptions echoed across the city.
Pahlavi: Attempts To Appoint A Successor 'Doomed To Fail'
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah of Iran, posts on X his reaction to reports of the death of Khamenei.
Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty despot of our time, the murderer of tens of thousands of Iran’s bravest sons and daughters, has been erased from the face of history. With his death, the Islamic Republic has in effect reached its end and will very soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Any attempt by the remnants of the regime to appoint a successor to Khamenei is doomed to fail from the outset. Whoever they place in his stead will have neither legitimacy nor longevity, and will undoubtedly be complicit in the crimes of this regime as well.
Celebrations In Iran Over Reports Of Khamenei’s Death
Citizens celebrating reports of Khamenei’s death in Iran’s northern city of Shahavar.
Here is our latest news story on the supreme leader's reported death.
BREAKING: Trump: Khamenei Is Dead
Trump has just posted this on Truth Social:
Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS. He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us. As I said last night, “Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!” Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Please stay with us for continued coverage.
Netanyahu: Supreme Leader Khamenei 'Is No Longer'
Reuters reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that there are many signs indicating that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "is no longer."
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the BBC that he is “not in a position to confirm” whether senior leaders targeted in recent US-Israeli strikes remain unharmed.
UPDATE: More on Netanyahu's comments from Reuters:
"This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei," Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding that for more than 30 years Khamenei had "dispatched terrorism across the world, made his own people miserable, and worked constantly and tirelessly on a program to annihilate the state of Israel."
"There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer. This morning we eliminated senior officials in the ayatollahs' regime, Revolutionary Guards commanders, senior figures in the nuclear programme - and we will continue. In the next few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime," Netanyahu said.
More On The Reported Strike On A Girls' School
The details of a supposed US-Israeli strike on a girls' school in Minab, southern Iran, are still unclear. Iranian officials and state media have claimed the strike killed 40–85 people, mostly young girls, with apparent footage showing rubble and scattered backpacks.
Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian condemned what he called a"barbaric act" that has "caused deep pain to the hearts of the Iranian nation."
There have been counter claims online, however, mainly from Iranian opposition accounts, saying that the strike was actually a misfired Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) rocket.
According to some news reports, there is an IRGC base in Minab.
Other have claimed that footage widely shared on X purportedly showing the aftermath of the strike actually showed the aftermath of a Taliban attack on an army school in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 2014.
Dubai's Landmark Island In Smoke Amid Iranian Strikes
Huge pillar of smoke rose from Dubai's famous landmark -- the man-made island, Palm Jumeirah.
As Iran carries out retaliatory strikes in the region following US and Israeli attacks, at least four people were injured in the incident, the Dubai government press service reported.
New Reported Wave Of Attacks
RFE/RL's Radio Farda has received reports of explosions being heard in the cities of Tehran, Karaj, and Garmdareh.
News agencies inside Iran have reported that a loud explosion was heard in the capital, Tehran, on the evening of February 28.
Similar reports of explosions or blasts have emerged from multiple other cities across Iran, according to independent news sources.